Double Chocolate Banana Bread

We hardly have overripe bananas in the house because I LOVE super-ripe bananas. See the bananas below? That, to me, is the perfect state for consumption. It's when all the sugar has replaced the starch and it's the closest I'll get to the little sweet bananas (and minimally starchy) we get in Singapore. Most people think that these bananas are only good for baking or smoothies... but I'm happy to scarf this down as is.

Lately though, I've been a bit of a banana fiend and been buying more bananas than we could possibly eat.

So I've taken to baking banana bread, if I have the time. I'm still trying to look for awesome banana bread recipes but none of them have been spot on perfect, yet.

I did accidentally come across this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, so I decided to try it out.

I couldn't find any chocolate chips in the house... so...I kinda had to make do.

Mmm... Tobleroney goodness. 

Smitten Kitchen's Double Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe - with my modifications

Ingredients: 

3 medium-to-large very ripe bananas
1/2 cup (115 grams) butter, melted
3/4 cup (145 grams) light brown sugar*
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup (about 6 ounces or 170 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips

*Smitten Kitchen says that you can use either dark brown or light brown sugar. She used dark but I chose to use light. I normally love dark brown sugar but I was worried it'd be a bit too rich in this instance. I might try it next time.

The original recipe has cinnamon powder in it but I chose to admit it because I was already adding salted caramel almond toblerone to my mix. Also, I wasn't sure I would have liked the cinnamon mixed with chocolate and banana. 

Method: 

1. Heat your oven to 350°F/180 Celsius. 
2. Butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or spray it with a nonstick baking spray.
3. Mash bananas in the bottom of a large bowl. (You’ll have a little over 1 cup mashed banana total.) 
4. Whisk in melted butter, then brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Place baking soda, salt, cinnamon (if using), flour and cocoa powder in a sifter or fine-mesh strainer and sift over wet ingredients. 
5. Stir dry and wet ingredients with a spoon until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks or chips
6. Pour into prepared pan and bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free. 
7. Cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert it out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

I think it turned out pretty well... judging by the hubby's expression!

The final cake is not as dense as a traditional banana bread - it's more like a cross between a cake and a brownie. Not that it matters, I've already been told that I can keep making more. Heh.